


How Far I'll Go

by Gia279



Series: Practice Ficlets [10]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Amnesia, Cursed jewelry, Established Relationship, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 08:32:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13783713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gia279/pseuds/Gia279
Summary: He was in a library. The rows of books and held-breath hush of the place gave it away immediately. He’d been slumped at a table stacked high with books. He frowned at them, but he didn’t recognize any of the titles. He stood, stumbling a little on weak legs, and left the table behind.





	How Far I'll Go

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:** “A day in the life”
> 
> I wanted to round it out to an even 10 lol. Anyway, this is...not great, but I had fun either way. Enjoy! :D

He was in a library. The rows of books and held-breath hush of the place gave it away immediately. He’d been slumped at a table stacked high with books. He frowned at them, but he didn’t recognize any of the titles. He stood, stumbling a little on weak legs, and left the table behind. 

The front desk was occupied by a young woman with tumbling blue hair, checking in returned books. She glanced up at him and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Can I help you with anything?”

He stared at her blankly. “No, I…don’t think so.” He wandered away. 

The sign on the front door said _Beacon Hills Public Library_ , followed by a list of hours. The name meant nothing to him, he realized. He should’ve been panicked, or at least worried, but he just felt light, his shoulders relaxed. He felt like he’d taken a weight off and left it behind in the library. He patted his pockets and found folded bills in his back pocket. No wallet, no ID, or phone. He touched his face, but couldn’t put a picture together from touch alone. He found he didn’t mind. 

He started walking, following a delicious scent he couldn’t identify until he stood in front of an ice cream parlor called _The Frozen Bowl_. He looked around. He was alone, the place was open, and he had cash. What could it hurt? He went inside. 

The boy at the counter shot him a wide eyed look. “Uh…”

“Hello.” He smiled at him. The place was decorated with penguins in Alice in Wonderland-esque teacups. 

“H-hello.” His eyes wheeled around. “Are you…”

“I’ll get a scoop of…whatever your favorite flavor is,” he said with a laugh, realizing he had no idea what he liked, and wasn’t that just…simple?

The boy stared at him the whole time he was putting a scoop of strawberry cheesecake ice cream into a regular cone. He didn't miss a bit, didn’t spill a drop, and tried to give it to him for free. 

He put a five in the tip jar and left, instead of arguing. The ice cream was delicious, even on a day that couldn’t seem to decide whether to be cool or warm. He found he didn’t mind. 

He happened upon a park when he was finished with his ice cream. There were plenty of people there, enjoying the sunny day, but one in particular caught his eye: a young mother juggling a baby, a diaper bag, and a rambunctious dog bouncing around her ankles and nearly knocking her over. 

He didn’t know why he did it; maybe he was naturally helpful, when he knew who he was. He darted forward, managing to catch the leash just as it slipped from the mother’s grasp as she held onto the baby. 

“Oh, thanks,” she sighed. She set her bag on a bench and turned her attention to the fussing baby. “I can take her back now.” She started to reach for the leash, but the baby moved from fussing to wailing piteously. “Oh, I’m sorry, honey, it’s-” She flicked an embarrassed glance at him. “Dog walker is sick, babysitter is out of town, wife is at work,” she explained. “It is officially the week from hell.”

“I can walk the dog,” he offered. “Around the park, if you need to feed the baby.”

She eyed him warily. “Well…”

“I’ll stay on this track so you can see me.” He pointed. The dog danced around his ankles, happy and excited; she bumped into the back of his knees, trying to get his attention. 

“Okay. Thanks. I’m Sally,” she said with a smile. “This is Nala, and Lance,” she added with a nod to the baby, who screwed up his tiny face and _screamed._ “Sorry. I better feed him.”

“Sure. We’ll be back.” He gave a gentle tug of the leash and Nala shot off, yanking and pulling at the lead until he followed her. 

After the park, which he left before Sally could ask for his name, he wound his way back to the heart of town. 

There was a woman by a diner holding a phone that did a double take when he went by, but he didn’t stop, too caught up in exploring. 

He found himself just wandering: through trees, past _Beacon Hills High School_ and its sports field, smiling, and down a suburban street that for some reason made his smile widen. He didn’t recognize it, but it made him happy for some reason. 

“Hey!”

The voice made him jump.

A man stood in the doorway of a house, hands on his hips. “You okay?”

Something about the man made nerves and safety settle over him. “Yes,” he replied honestly. He was okay. He wasn’t in pain or scared. 

“Where’re you heading?” He took a step out onto the porch. He was wearing a sheriff’s uniform, which was probably why he seemed safe.

“Don’t know. Just walking.”

The sheriff frowned. “Really. Gonna tell me why?”

“Um. I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I just…felt like it.”

He narrowed his eyes. “One second,” he said, and went inside. 

He didn’t want to answer more questions; what if the sheriff wanted to take him to the hospital? He didn’t feel sick or injured, so that seemed like a waste of time. He walked and kept walking, leaving the suburbs for an area more populated by apartment buildings. 

He stood outside of one, an unremarkable one, really, for ten minutes, smiling, and had no idea why he loved it so much. 

“Are you alright?”

He looked over.

A middle aged man was frowning at him.

“I think so,” he replied pleasantly enough.

“Where’s Stiles?” he asked cautiously. “Have you been in an accident? Should I call him?”

“I don’t understand,” he said. 

The man looked even more alarmed. 

Before any more could be said, a vehicle screeched up behind them.

He turned, and felt his heart soar. He had no idea why the sight of a beat up old jeep made him feel like everything would be okay, but it did.

The man who spilled out of it, graceless limbs wrapped in denim and plaid, took his breath away. Even scowling, he was a sight to behold. “Dude! What are you doing? I told you I’d be right back! Thanks, Mr, Katrakis, I’ve got it,’ he added in an aside to the man. 

He nodded warily and headed into the apartment building.

“Look, I know the silence in the library makes you twitchy, but wandering around like a crazy person _wearing it_ is not the answer. You almost gave me a heart attack! And why are you smiling? I’ve been following you, two steps behind, all afternoon! Liam saw you at the Bowl, and then Sally Waite said _she_ saw you at the park. Lydia saw you by the diner, but she didn’t know you’d wandered off in the middle of researching that stupid necklace and—whew.” He sucked in a deep breath, looking dizzy. He blinked at him. “Whoa. You never let me go on that long. What’s the matter?”

He smiled again, kindly, he thought. “I have no idea who you are or what you’re talking about.” His smile faltered at the crushed expression on the man’s face. “I’m sorry,” he said immediately, feeling guilty.

The expression cleared. “Well, now we know what happens when you touch the necklace. And luckily, while you were wandering the town like a crazy person, I found a cure, or whatever.”

“Do I know you?” he asked hesitantly. “How do I know you?” he corrected.

“Um. I don’t want to freak you out.” 

“You won’t,” he promised. Nothing else had.

The man grimaced, then shrugged. “Yeah, alright.” He held up his left hand. “We’re married, dude.”

He felt a smile flash across his face, joy bounding through him. “ _Really?_ ”

 

Stiles was never going to let Derek live down the fact that he lit up like a kid on Christmas when he found out he and Stiles were _married_. 

Wandering around town with a heavily jeweled necklace stuck around his neck, interacting with people who knew him while not knowing they knew him, was worth it when Stiles gazed at him with adoration in his eyes. Though he wasn’t sorry to see the necklace incinerated. That was the _last_ time Derek helped Cora go through their parents old stuff.


End file.
